Taiwan’s tech industry looks to app development

Smart Tourism Taiwan encourages software development

By Maggie Foucault / Contributing reporter

However, the app is unnecessary for long-term travelers or residents. The listed tourist sights seem like locations that would be visited within the first week of arrival, like Taipei 101 and Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall. Other entries include such commonplace locations as Eslite Bookstore and Huashan Creative Park, both of which need no introduction to Taipei residents.

Lin acknowledged that the app could include more wide-ranging tourist information.

“When we designed the whole thing we first used a user-centric design principle and when you look at travel Web sites and apps, we feel like the design is always trying to push information to the travelers, and we wanted to turn this concept around.”

Lin said the app offers users information that would adapt to their current location and schedule, instead of simply offering a generic, itemized list of tourist sights.

“We want it to be more proactive and provide information at the right place and the right time,” said Lin. “It’s a change in terms of the mindset, and that’s the key.”

Currently, the ARI is moving into phase three of their project. This includes adding Simplified Chinese and Japanese interfaces, as well as more content for travelers, such as restaurants, museums and other points of interest. Hopefully the third phase of the project will focus on adding unique locations and sights that will appeal to long-term travelers and residents. The group has also begun working on an app for Tainan, which will be a separate from the Taipei app. Ultimately, ARI hopes that the development of the STT app will spur others in Taiwan to invest more time in software and app development.